Posts Tagged ‘Minnesota’
A Perfect Day in Duluth
Thursday, May 17th, 2012
Duluth. A wonderful city on the shores of Lake Superior. A place for the people of the North Shore to run errands or drive through on their way to the cities. This past weekend we decided to enjoy all Duluth has to offer. We started our day at the Great Lakes Aquarium. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. The GLA focuses on the great lakes, mostly Lake Superior, and the habitats in and around the lakes, and also includes a small salt water aquarium section. There is a giant fresh water tank with some giant fish in it! We were there to see the divers feeding the fish and taking care of the tank. One of the favorite kid activities was a large water table in the shape of the Great Lakes where kids could move boats through the locks of the lakes. The upper level has a nice Lake Superior history area. Even though the GLA is huge, there is still lot to see and do.
Next we walked over to my favorite sandwich place in Duluth – Northern Waters Smokehaus. This small restaurant is located in the Dewitt-Seitz Marketplace. It was featured a few years back on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I do believe it has the best sandwiches in Duluth. My favorite is the Pastrami Mommy. They also have some wonderful homemade salami, smoked fish and a small cheese section. There is a small section of bar seating, but since the weather was so beautiful we sat outside on some picnic tables. The staff is always friendly and if you can find a spot, parking in the back lot is free.
After a fulfilling lunch we took a walk to the Duluth pier to see the lift bridge. We missed seeing a big laker drive through, but did see the bridge lift for a smaller sailboat. The walk down to the end of the pier was a good people watching experience and provides a nice view of the city of Duluth and the Lake Superior shoreline.
We walked back to the GLA parking lot – taking the path under the lift bridge – a sort of different perspective seeing cars drive above you! Directly next to the GLA is a large playground. We spent some time there before heading home. I believe you do have to pay a five dollar parking fee if you park next to the playground or in the GLA parking lot.
Next time you are on your way up to the North Shore – take a break in Duluth and enjoy it! You will not regret the time spent in a great city by the shore.-Kris
- Duluth Pier
Duluth Lift Bridge
Tags: Duluth, Great Lakes Aquarium, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Stories and Pictures, Travel, Uncategorized |
Winter Snow Sculptures in Grand Marais
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
Last weekend my boys and I took advantage of the beautiful February weather and shook off the winter blues with a stroll around Grand Marais. We got some yummy hot treats at Java Moose and then walked around the harbor. We loved the snow sculptures. Skyler’s favorite was of course the giant cupcake. He now wants me to make a real cupcake that big. I am always amazed at the skill of the sculptors. We decided we would make a snow block in our back yard and try our hand at it. It probably won’t look like much but it will be fun trying. -Tala Joy
Tags: Grand Marais, Java Moose, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Posted in Winter Events |
The Spectacular Town of Tofte
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
I thought I would just take a moment to talk about the town of Tofte. I think sometimes people may just pass it by on their way to Lutsen or Grand Marais, really missing all its great qualities.
For example, did you know Tofte has a great waterfront park? This nice park, just off Highway 61, is a great area for a picnic and has a small shelter to keep the sun out of your eyes. It also has a firepit and a great path along the lake.
Next lets move on to some of the great shops in Tofte. Did you know there is a small yarn shop across from our office called Tall Tale Yarn Shop? It’s a great spot to pick up some yarn and make a scarf while looking out at the lake from one of our rental homes. Also across the street from us is Sawtooth Outfitters. They rent out summer and winter gear like bikes, skis, and canoes and have a small retail store as well. One of the other great stores of Tofte is WatersEdge. It is filled with great gifts, wonderful clothing and fun jewelry.
When you are in our area you have to eat some great food. If you decide you want to make your own meals, you can pick up some provisions at the North Shore Market. If you are looking at dining out, you have two great options. One is the Coho Café. You can dine in or pick one of their takeout options. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner (dinner is weekends only in the winter). Some of my favorites are the tuna wrap, and the Primavera and Call of the Wild pizzas. You can also take dining one step up by going to the Bluefin Grille. They have great food and wonderful views of Lake Superior from most of the tables.
Are you wanting some exercise and outdoor time? Then get a guided kayak trip from Sawtooth Outfitters, or take a hike at Britton Peak or up to Carlton Peak. If you brought your bike you can take a ride on the Gitchi Gami Bike Trail (a great spot for stroller rides with kids too).
If the kids need something to do you can take them to the playground at Birch Grove School. They also have an ice skating rink in the winter with ice skates for rent for free (mostly kid sizes).
Next time I hope you take some time in Tofte – it is a great spot for all ages. –Kris
Some of our Tofte rental homes:
Bluefin Bay 14, 56 and 57
Aspenwood Condos (6508, 6526, 6536, 6538, 6540, 6542, 6544, 6546, 6548, 6550)
Cathy’s Cove
Eagle’s Nest
LeVeaux Mtn Lodge
Nordkapp
Parkview
Pointavu
The Phoenix
Tags: Cascade Vacation Rentals, Lake Superior, Minnesota, Tofte
Posted in Travel, Uncategorized |
Ssshhhh…A secret hike right in Grand Marais
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
The Map of Sweetheart's Bluff
A secret hike in Grand Marais – what? Yes, it is true! I was thinking about not telling anyone about it so I would have it all to myself, but that would not be very nice. A few years ago Grand Marais made a formal hiking place with a larger packed trail for the elderly, stroller and wheelchair bound. It is named Sweetheart’s Bluff and it is right in the town of Grand Marais – just past the swimming pool and municipal campground.
It is a place that I believe not many people, except those at the campground or the locals may know about. Today when we arrived, our car was the only one in the parking area and there was one more when we left.
This trail has 3 main areas – the larger packed trail, a longer, larger hiking loop, and a spur off the loop that goes to an old forest service tower. I would take a look at the map before heading out. I would also caution anyone hiking on these trails that they are not very well marked. The ground was also a bit slippery on the first real ascent up the hill.
We started on the packed trail – which I might say is a great trail for those who many need to use it due to wheelchair or stroller. It was easy to navigate. I could also see it as a great small hike for a young toddler. We did not walk on the path too long before heading to the larger loop – up a small hill which was not very packed and the ground felt rather slippery. We made it to the top and kept hiking on what we thought was the trail (and it was) through some great pine trees, yellow birch and very small red maple. Winding around I did notice other smaller trails, but kept on the main trail.
Up, up, up we hiked and finally came to a GREAT overlook of the Grand Marais Harbor and colorful hillside. It was so beautiful. We paused and took some time to check out all the sights and take some pictures. Who knew this was here?
We then continued on what I thought was the rest of the larger loop, but turned out to be the spur trail to the old forest service tower, which is only ½ there. Oops, a little off track, but as I said before, it is not very well marked at all. We then back tracked to the main trail and made our way back down the rest of the loop, over some fascinating ledgerock. The rock had small ridges which I had never seen before and some great large areas of moss. There was a wonderful Lake Superior view on the way down. We came to a nice picnic area that again overlooked the Grand Marais harbor. It was nicely covered to keep off any unforeseen rain. After many attempts at a timed picture of Carson and myself, we headed down the path (along a cliff) to another picnic area overlooking Lake Superior, but the picnic table was missing – a large blanket would do just fine.
We hiked back along the lake and met up with the packed trail again. There were two memorial log benches to rest on and look out over the lake. Then back to our car – and a plan to make it back to this secret place again soon so we can have a picnic and look out at the harbor!-Kris
Packed Path
Path on the Larger Loop
Overlooking Lake Superior
Colorful Fall Hillside
Kris and Carson at the Covered Picnic Area
Lake Superior Shoreline in Grand Marais
Tags: Grand Marais, Hiking, Lake Superior, Minnesota, sweetheart's Bluff
Posted in Stories and Pictures |
Seagull Beach up the Gunflint Trail
Thursday, August 25th, 2011
This Monday I had the chance to take my son on a little road trip up the Gunflint Trail. Our destination – Seagull Beach - one of the only public sand beaches in our area. We left our home in Lutsen and the outside temperature on my car thermometer read 55 degrees. I thought I was crazy for even attempting the beach when it was so cold, but I could only imagine it was warmer up the trail! If it wasn’t maybe we would go on a hike to keep warm instead!
The drive up the trail was nice. We unfortunately didn’t see any wildlife, but the scenery was worth it. We had a conversation about why the trees didn’t have any leaves and were black because of the Ham Lake fire in 2007. As we reached the end of the trail, sure enough my thermometer had risen to 70 degrees! Yeah – swimming would happen after all.
The Seagull beach is right at the Seagull Lake boat landing. It has a bathroom, flat ground for some games of catch, and a nice picnic table with fire ring close by. You walk below the picnic area to a wonderful sand beach. It isn’t very big, but plenty of room for a few families. We had the beach to ourselves most of the time we were there! The other great part of the area, is you can walk about 200 feet out into the water and it is still only up to your knees – a great spot for toddlers and kids. The water is so clear you can see the ripples in the sand from the waves, any rocks or tree debris and of course fish!
We enjoyed our picnic lunch and made some grand sand castles, which were promptly smooshed by little feet. We also enjoyed the water and walked almost all the way to the deep part of the water. You can see some burned branches and places where the fire had been, but does not overwhelm the beauty of the area.
It took us about an hour and twenty minutes to get from Lutsen to the beach and it was totally worth it! – Kris
Picnic Area
Seagull Beach
Carson testing out the water
Tags: Gunflint Trail, Lutsen, Minnesota, Seagull Beach
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Uncategorized |
Best Lake Superior Beaches for Kids
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Sugarloaf Cove, Schroeder – The ideal, sheltered cove perfect for rock throwing. As a bonus, there are very manageable trails and plenty of historical info.
Paradise Beach – A long stretch of pebble beach north of Grand Marais, this is the perfect stone-skipping beach.
Grand Marais Harbor/East Bay – Two great beaches for the price of one. The Grand Marais Harbor has restaurants, shops and wide stretch of cobble beach to sit on and watch the boats and the lighthouse. Right across the point, the East Bay has a pebble beach and lots of great boulders for climbing. Plus, easy access to both World’s Best Donuts and Sydney’s Frozen Custard.
Kadunce River Wayside – This little beach is perfect for a picnic. The river lends extra excitement, a perfect place to hold a stick boat race.
Cut Face Creek Beach – This wide stretch has a lovely beach and a nice park-like picnic area above it. Although it’s not often warm enough to swim in Lake Superior, this shallow stretch can be fun to splash in on a hot day. – Kate
Tags: Grand Marais, Lake Superior, Minnesota, Schroeder
Posted in Summer Events |
March Gales On Lake Superior
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
Instead of receiving the predicted blizzard on the North Shore last week, we were visited by the Gales of March on Lake Superior. The picture of our Great Lake was magnificent, painted with dark blue, green and sometimes brown. The waves came crashing in with an enormous white cap topping. To add to this beautiful and surreal scenario, was the magnificent artistry of ice sculptures found on rock ledges and cliffs. This scene, I am certain, can only be created by Mother Nature herself. Watching the waves on the shores made me daydream about the tales of Lake Superior. My speculations are that if Lake Superior could talk, the stories would fill the Lake itself. Lake Superior was named Gichigami by the Ojibwe for ‘big water’ and is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. It is truly the greatest of the Great Lakes measuring to be the largest, deepest and coldest of the five with an average temperature of 40 degrees in the summer (brrrrr!). The best part about Lake Superior is that it is ‘right out the back door’ and for miles and miles and miles! -Cindy
Tags: Cascade Vacation Rentals, Duluth, Grand Marais, Lake Superior, Lutsen, Minnesota, North Shore, Northern Minnesota, Tofte
Posted in Outdoor Activities, Specials, Spring Events, Travel, Views and Scenery |
Embracing Minnesota Winter
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011
This year we have decided to embrace winter to its fullest with our son Carson. He is now 3, and should get accustomed to the cold Minnesota weather and the fun you can have even when it is cold and you might now want to go out! Two weekends ago we attempted to try downhill skiing in our backyard! Joe put on his skis too and they ventured down the small hill we have. It was exciting, but after a few runs we decided that downhill skiing would probably work better at Lutsen Mountains where it is meant to happen!
This weekend we went out to Caribou Lake in Lutsen to try out Carson’s new cross country skis. For his first time out he did a great job. Joe’s mom is visiting, so she helped us out and made sure he was following the path and staying upright. We probably enjoyed about an hour of outdoor fun. It wasn’t that cold unless the wind was blowing. As you can see in the pictures below, we probably could have just enjoyed a walk on the lake, but skiing was too much fun! We skied back to the car with the promise of hot chocolate when we got home. This weekend I expect there may be a chance to try out some new skates at the local Birch Grove school rink! – Kris
Skiing on Caribou Lake in Lutsen for the 1st Time
A Nice Winter Day!
Tags: Cross Country Skiing, Lutsen, Lutsen Mountains, Minnesota
Posted in Outdoor Activities |
Serenity in the Wilderness
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
Last week I went on my first canoe trip into the BWCA and the Quetico in Canada. It was the experience of a lifetime. We started at Lake Saganaga at the end of the Gunflint trail and paddled our way north into Canada to do what is call the “man chain.” The winds were whipping the first day as we battled Sag! I have never worked my arms so hard in my life! There were white caps over the open areas which were pretty intimidating. That night we checked into the ranger station in Canada at Cache Bay with a wonderful woman named Janice who has lived on an island 4 months out of the year working for Canada Parks for over 20 years. She had so much knowledge and insight. After watching the moon rise over the lake we got a great night sleep listening to the calls of the loons.
The rest of the days were filled with sun, huge trees, beautiful water and so many loons-sometimes in large groups. We did not see many other animals or birds which was kind of a bummer. I take that back, my friend Matt saw a beaver who smacked its tail about 5 feet away, but no one else saw it!
I am not sure I can accurately describe the quietness and serenity in those woods and on those lakes. It is something we could all use in our lives once in a while. I think we only saw 5 other people while in Canada which was pretty amazing, especially when I think about how busy we are here at Cascade Vacation Rentals.
The best part of the trip was probably when we decided to sail our way across Knife Lake - attaching the footprint of our tent to our canoe paddles to make the sail! Boy did we cover some water then! The miles flew by. Sunday after departing from Saganaga we stopped for breakfast at Trail Center. Boy can those people cook a great meal. Be sure to try the fruits of the forest pie no matter what time it is! A trip like that is definitely something I would love to do again if I have the chance. Such fond memories of my first canoe trip. - Kris
Here is a picture of one of the many loons we saw on the trip. This one is a baby.
Tags: Canada, Canoeing, Cascade Vacation Rentals, Minnesota, Quetico, Saganaga
Posted in Uncategorized |
Summertime in Grand Marais
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
We enjoyed watching the Dragon Boat festival from a different angle – we parked by the Grand Marais boat landing and it was very quiet except for the beat of the drum! What a great time to watch people race these colorful boats in the harbor. There were so many teams this year and also a lot of spectators. It was a great cultural experience!
Here is a picture of the Grand Marais Lake Superior shoreline I took last night – Kris
Tags: Dragon Boat Festival, Grand Marais, Lake Superior, Minnesota
Posted in Stories and Pictures, Summer Events |
